Metal Mouth

oil can in hand it’s a weekday
so sure I’ll spray the thing 
rainbow spritz
yeah ok I’ll lube up the hydraulic 
jaws of the thing
circle every side of the metal mouth
my hand does the circles on its own now 
the red rag makes little greasy hurricanes
on the damned thing on my blood-slaked
metal mouth every morning
 
a smooth circular motion they tell me 
is best for wetting the crooked flesh of it 
the iron teeth gum up so easy just have 
faith they said faith faith keeps me 
squirting the oil softly stroking the mouth 
that the jaws move smoothly
when at last it’s my turn to climb in